SAN RAMON — A hefty contribution from Contra Costa County has made a substantial dent in the money needed to refurbish a historic, 150-year-old barn, but the project still isn’t fully funded.

Last week, Contra Costa County Supervisor Candace Anderson announced the Ole Barn’s restoration in Forest Home Farms Historic Park would receive $485,000 in county park funds from unused development fees. An additional $105,000 of county funds was earmarked for the Iron Horse Trail. That was music to the ears of Mayor Bill Clarkson.

“The addition of these unexpected funds allows us to move forward on two key projects sooner and in a more complete fashion than we initially expected,” Clarkson said.

Paul Truschke, president of the San Ramon Historic Society, said the cash was crucial, as the total cost of restoring the Ole Barn could be as high as $900,000. His organization is trying to raise about $225,000 and has only raised about $25,000 toward that goal.

To that end, the Historic Society is planning to hold a fundraiser for the barn on Aug. 20 at the Page Mill Winery in Livermore. In addition, the city is expected to contribute an undetermined amount to the project, said Truschke. Restoration could start as early as the fall, Truschke said.

Truschke said the barn is currently off-limits to visitors because of aging boards and a rudimentary foundation that’s been ravaged by ground squirrels. The barn was initially built from redwood boards without nails.

He said the barn must be completely dismantled and rebuilt board by board, and his organization is looking for wood in the area that dates from the 1850s. Truschke said the restoration would also include a new lighting system and an effort to make the structure accessible to those in wheelchairs.

The barn is a common field trip destination for local students looking to experience part of San Ramon’s past. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and the California Register of Historical Resources in June 2002.

“It’s something that’s very close to me,” Truschke said. “There aren’t many buildings that were built in the 1850s in this valley, and saving this one is very important.”

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